Too Ouchy

Getting Eloise dressed these days is no fun. For a while she wouldn't wear anything but pink, then it was nothing but dresses, and lately everything is "too ouchy". Tee shirt sleeves are too tight, cardigans have scratchy tags, dress straps fall down and everything else just "bovers" her. I can forget about a Ralph Lauren denim skirt with sailor buttons that I've been waiting two years for her to fit, Eloise has designated it "too small."

In an effort to make getting dressed more fun I've tried to make it about dressing up. Once I make sure an item is prime for comfort - aka no tags, no scratchy bits - it's all about convincing Eloise that what she is wearing helps her become something else. A floral dress and mary-janes make her a princess, jeans and a blouse are just like mama, and in leggings, a tutu skirt and a top knot she is a ballerina. It works most of the time.

I combed through Eloise's closet last week to remove summer clothing and realized we were in need of more long sleeved shirts and sweaters for the coming cold. This time, I thought I'd let Eloise choose and let her loose in Joe where she selected all of nothing and spent our entire shopping trip admiring herself in various sunglasses. Sigh. Luckily, a recent online shop at Old Navy meant a shipment of exceptionally cute long-sleeved shirts and dresses would be arriving shortly. It must be something about clothing coming in the mail that makes it irresistible because, fingers crossed, Eloise has deemed not one thing too ouchy. But seriously, who can resist sweatshirts with gold polka-dots or silver stars?